Szmania's Restaurant, Seattle

###Five Things to Know About Szmania’s Restaurant From 1990 to 2014, Ludger and Julie Szmania won diners’ devotion with a menu of carnivore-friendly cuisine from Ludger’s native Germany. The Szmanias then handed the reins to Michael Rogozinski, a onetime Szmania’s chef who has crafted a new menu of Pacific Northwest eats that retains a bit of German flair. Read on for more about this beloved spot in Magnolia: * **Entrees skew Italian and American.** Try the wild Alaskan salmon or the orecchiette alla paisano—mild italian sausage with red onion, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli in a creamy white sauce. * **The new menu doesn’t shun diners longing for the Szmania’s of yesteryear.** Rogozinski’s menu retains classic dishes such as jägerschnitzel with mushroom sauce, red cabbage, and cheese spaetzle. * **Early-dinner specials feature prix fixe selections.** This three-course menu, available between Sunday and Thursday, features entrees such as flat iron steak skewers and sockeye salmon baked with pesto and lemon. * **The menu isn’t the only thing that’s been renovated.** Shortly before the Szmanias left, they expanded the bar (and its cocktail selection) and added a larger outdoor patio. * **Stop by for happy hour.** Every day from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., diners can enjoy a curated food menu, including bruschetta or a schnitzel burger, along with discounted wine, beer, and the bartender’s cocktail of the day.